Sheet-metal end for railway cars



April 3, 1928.

V. E. SISSON SHEET METAL END FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed July 18. 1924 T l l l xvllllllllllll l I I lv Patented Apr. 3, 192.8.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

VINTON E. SISSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

SHEET-METAL ENID ron Vmirnwriv cans.

Application filed July 18, 1924, Seria1.No. 726,816, and in Canada May 19, 1924.

This invention relates 'to improvements in end structures for railway cars and` more particularly to sheet metal ends for freight cars.

The end of a freight car is subject to very severe shocks and stresses on account of the tendency of the cargo to shift when the train starts or stops', and in switching, and also to the tendency of the superstructure of the car to weave'while the train is in motion. To strengthen this type of car, ends have been constructed of one or more sheets or panels of metal, usually steel, which sheets or panels are formed with corrugations for rigidifying the structure to more readily meet impacts from without, cargo thrusts from within, and the racking strains from weaving.

It is the object of this invention te provide an end of the sheet metal type which is adaptable to either wooden car frames or all metal freight cars and that may be employed for strengthening gondola cars, box cars, or other similar cars. It is a further object of this invention to provide the sheets or panels of the end with corrugations of particular form and length that are peculiarly adapted to strengthen the end to meet the stresses and strains already described. While the corrugations are preferably formed parallel, their relation to each other or their direction is immaterial, likewise the corrugations may be all pressed from one side of thesheet of metal or may be formed from opposite sides,

desired. Y

While the preferred forms of this invention are 'illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawings, yet it is to be understood that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

vIn the drawings:

Fig. l is an end elevationv of a box car illustrating an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar' to' Fig. Q illusa b iron frame member of a car.

tratinOr the attachinentof the end to an angle' Fig. Ll is similar to Fig. 3 and shows the relation of the attaching means and the yThere are certain objectionable features to both of these forms. l

In' the first instance, the corrugations are usually terminated short of the corner post rto allow the flat marginal portion to rest thereon and provide a space for bolts or rivets to be passed through the panelandk post to secure the panel lin position, with the result that the main body of the panel is strengthened bythe eorrugation, yet there is a considerable portion on each end;V namely, the flat margin, which Ypossesses only the normal strengthV of the sheet of metal from which th'e panel is formed. In the other instance, in which the corrugations are extended through to there'nds of the panel an additional closure and securingA member is necessary to attach the panel properly to the frame of the-carand to form a watertight closure. y

Fig. l illustrates an embodiment of this invention `as applied to the end kof a box car showingthe manner in which the above objectionable features are overcome. The panel is provided with a plurality of hori- Zontal contiguous corrugations which merge at their ends into the plane of the panel. In accordance with vthis improved structure alternating corrugations are terminatedand merged into the plane ofthe panel short of the; corner post, while the other alternating corrugations are continuedtherebeyond and merge into the plane of the'panel adjacent its ends, thereby providing Vflat surfaces in the plane of the panelk between thelatter corrugations which yrest upon the corner posts.

The corrugations which' terminatey short of the corner postare not necessarily positioned alternately with those which are continued beyond the corner post.

The attaching bolts 5 or rivets 8 are positioned in the flat surface between the terminations'l of the corrugations 4, which overlap the frame member: This relation of the termination 15 of the corrugation and the attachment makes the corrugation a restrained beam which greatly increases its strength against deflection. Additional means for attaching the ypanel to the frame' member may-be provided by the use of bolts 6, which are adjacent the ends of the'corrugations 4, which overlap the frame member, and it will be noted that these bolts 6 are aligned with these corrugations. For this constructionsee Figs. land 2. These additional means maybe in the original plane of` the panel, as shown by rivets 14 in Figs. 4 and and bolts 13 in Fig. 6.

rlhe application of this end to a car having a wooden frame is 'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and as is customary in this type ot' car, the panel 1 is flanged at its ends to embrace the corner posts 3. The corrugations are shown as being formed from opposite sides ot' the metal sheet and therefore extend alternately on opposite sides of the plane of the panel. The inner corrugationsQ are terminated and merge into the plane of the panel short ot the corner post 3 so that the flat margin of the panel in line with ythese corrugations may be secured by bolts 5 passing through the corner post and end surface of the panel. The panel is also secured by bolts 6 passing through the corner post and end flange ot' the panel engaging the outer side of the post. The oppositely disposed alternating corrugations 4 are continued beyond the inner corrugations 2`and, while shown as terminatingV and merging into the plane of the panel adjacent the fianged end, the corrugations may be extended'intosaid flange without departing from the scope of this invention. v

This improved end attached to a car having a metal frame is illustrated in Figs. 8, 4 and 5 in which the corner post comprises an angle iron 7 with the end of the panel secured on the inner side ofone arm of the angle iron by rivets 8. It is obvious in this form that the relation of the alternating short and long corrugations must be reversed from that shown in the other figures. The

ycorrugations 4 terminating adjacent to the Figs. `4 and 5 show a construction where.

the corrugated panel Iis secured to the corner vpostr? by m'eansfS) positioned betweenthe corrugations and Aalso by additional means (14) which are positioned in alignment with the corrugations.

The corrugations may beV formed with their main portionsall the same length and with their terminal portions of differentl length, i. e., some terminal portions longer thanothers. (See Fig. 1.) Preferably the alternating corrugations have longen terminal portions than the corrugations therebetween.

In both forms shown the entire surface of the panel from endto endfis yrei'i'itorced and strengthened by the corrugations and the car end, as a` whole, possesses greater strength than the strength of the sheet of metal from which it is formed and makes a watertight closure for the end ot the car without any additional means or substantial change 'inthe mode of attaching reinforced ends ot this general type to the car iframe.`

When the corrugations are positioned vertically, as shown in Figs. 6 and some oi:r them terminate and merge into the plane of the panel short of the end plate 10 or endl sill 11er both,`while other' corrugations con-. tinue therebeyond `and overlap these frame members and merge into thc plane of the panel ladjacent its edge or edges.

By positioning the truss rods or, other attaching means on thetlatk surface between the termination ofv the. corrugations which overlap the endsill or end plate, and tur.- thermore, by positioning additional'attaching means 18 adjacent the Vends ot the corrugations which terminate into the sheet short of the end sill or end plategl-the same advantages are obtained as described in connection with means -iior attaching the end to a corner post.

This is a continuation in part oi;` myappli-` cation Serial No. 414,059, filed Getober 1, 1920. v

I claim:

1. A metal panel for car end swhavingfa. corrugation 'formed therein with itsjopposite ends merging into the panel adjacent the panel. ends, and another corrugation formed therein with its opposite ends merging'into the panel at a distance from the panel ends.

2. A metal panel `forear ends having a plurality ot corrugations formed therein, with their opposite ends merging into the panel adjacent the panel ends, and; a plural'- ity of other corrugations formed therein with their opposite ends merging Vinto the Y panel at a distance Jfrom the panel ends.

3. A metal panel for car ends having alternating corrugations formed therein lwith their opposite ends merging into the panel adjacent the'. panel ends` and other alternating corrugations formed therein with their opposite ends merging into' the panel at a distance from the panel ends.

4. In a. railway car having corner posts, a metal end therefor including a panel having a plurality otlong corrugations and a,

llt)

plurality of short corrugations formed there- Y i in, said short corrugations terminating short' of the corner posts and said long corrugations terminating` adjacent the panel ends.v

all

5. In a railway car having corner posts,

a metal end therefor including a panel having a plurality of long corrugations and a plurality of short corrugations formed therein, said short corrugations merging into the panel and forming flat marginal portions betweentheir termination and panel lends, said long corrugations merging into the panel adjacent the panel ends, and means attaching said flat marginal port-ions to said corner posts.

6. ln a railway car having a frame member, a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a plurality of corrugations, some of said eorrugations extending substantially to the frame member, and some of said corrugations overlapping the frame member, means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned between the ends of the last mentioned corrugations, and additional means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned in alignment with the first mentioned corrugations.

7. In a railway car having frame members, a. metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a plurality of corruga-r tions o'f different length, the shorter corrugations extending substantially to said frame members, and the longer corrngations overlapping said frame members.

8. ln a railway car having frame'members,V a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a plurality of corrugations of different length pressed from the opposite sides of the plane of the panel, the shortercorrugations extending substantially to said frame members, and the longer corrugations overlapping said frame members. 9. In a railway car having frame'meinbers, a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a plurality of corrugations, some of said corrugations extending substantially to the frame members, and some of said corrngations overlapping the frame members, and means to secure said panel to said frame members positioned'between the ends of the last mentionedl corrugations.

ll). In a railway car having a frame member, a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a flange and a plurality of corrugations terminating Within the edge of the panel, some of said corrugations.eXtending-substantially to the frame member, and some of said corrugations overlapping the frame member, means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned between the terminations of the last mentioned corrugations, and additional means to secure said flange to said frame member' positioned in alignment with the first mentioned corrugations.

ll. In a railway boX car having a frame member, a metallic end therefor' including a panel formed with a plurality of corrugations terminating within the edge of the panel and overlapping the frame member, means to secure ,said panel to said frame member positioned between said corrugations, and additional means to secure said panel lto said frame member positioned in alignment with said corrugations.

12. In a railway 'boX car having a frame member, a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a flange and a plurality of corrugations terminating within the edge of the panel and overlapping the frame mem-A ber, means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned between said corrugations, and additional means to secure said flange to said frame member positioned in alignment with said corrugations.

13. In a railway car having a frame member, a metallic end therefor including a panel formed with a plurality of corrugations overlapping the frame member, means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned between the ends of the corrugations, and additional means to secure said panel to said frame member positioned in alignment with the corrugations.

14. In a railway car having a frame mem-` ber, a met-allie end therefor including a panel formed with a flange and a plurality of corrugations terminating within the edge of the panel, said corrugations overlapping the lframe member, means to .secure said panel tion comprising a main portion and terminal portions, the main portions being all the same length and the terminal portions of the alternating corrugations being longer than the other corrugations.

VINTON E. SISSON. 

